


Roses are red, Violets are blue...Did you know rangers can fall in love, too?

by Yugijayden



Category: Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan
Genre: 2nd fanfic, BL don't like don't read, Comfort/Angst, Eventual Smut, Halt O'Carrick/Will Treaty - Freeform, Horace Altman/Will Treaty - Freeform, I'm Bad At Tagging, Love Triangle, M/M, Yaoi, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2016-03-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 10:22:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6113512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yugijayden/pseuds/Yugijayden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story takes place right after Will gets back from Skandia. He and Halt have resumed his training, but the grizzly old ranger can't help but notice something strange is going on with his apprentice. What really happened in Skandia?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Peculiar Apprentice

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, here I go. This is my 2nd fanfic. I decided to write it because Halt x Will fanfictions are sooooo hard to find these days. I mean, I've searched everywhere. Therefore, I decided to write one myself. Lemme know what you think.

"Something's wrong with Will," Halt confessed to Gilan as they sat down at the bar. The two were rendezvousing at this particular spot because both of them could use a drink. Halt with his peculiar apprentice problems, and Gilan with all the troublemakers running amok in his fiefdom.

"How so?" asked Gilan. "He's not hurt or sick, is he?"

Halt felt a small wave of affection for the young man sitting next to him. Gilan was not only his former pupil, but also a close comrade who soon became good friends with Will, too. When they were together (Gilan and Will), they were practically inseparable.

"No," said Halt.

"Then what is it?"

"Ever since we returned from Skandia, he's been acting...strange," the grizzled ranger finally said.

Gilan made a gesture for him to elaborate.

"He seems...afraid of people. Not just anybody though. Other boys...men, too. He was fine around Alyss and Princess Cassandra, but when Horace put an arm on his shoulder the other day, the boy jumped almost a foot in the air, and this stricken look bloomed on his face," said Halt. "The same thing happened around another one of his other male wardmates. The gangly one...George was his name, I believe. When the two met in town the yesterday, Will looked he was going to die of a heart attack. He's jumpy around Baron Arald, Sir Rodney...even..." He paused and took a breath. "Even me."

A perplexed gleam shone in Gilan's eyes. "Will once told me there was no man on the planet he trusted more than you," the puzzled man said. "It doesn't make sense for him to be afraid of you. You've been through so much together."

Halt nodded. He knew these facts all too well.

"Did you finally scare him off with that big old scowl of yours?" joked Gilan. Halt shot him a glare. "I'll take that as a 'no', then. When did this strange behavior start, again?"

"Perhaps if you listened to your old mentor instead of cracking jokes at him all the time you'd remember," Halt snapped. "I said it began right after we came back from Skandia." Gilan nodded and rubbed his chin. As he did this, the bartender served both him and Halt a mug of beer, which they eagerly gulped down, Halt a bit more patient than Gilan.

"Maybe I could talk to him," said Gilan.

"I told you, he's afraid of nearly everyone of the same gender."

"Halt, let me try," he pleaded. "Will trusts me, too. I might be able to help you get to the bottom of this." This time, it was Halt who nodded, and it was in agreement.

"You are good at this sort of thing," admitted the older ranger. "Are you able to stop by my cabin tomorrow?" Gilan said yes, and after that the night passed rather uneventfully. Once they both polished off their glasses (they each only had one; Rangers can't afford to be drunk), they bid each other good night and went their separate ways. Halt to his cabin, and Gilan to the nearby inn.


	2. The "Interrogation"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gilan arrives at Halt's cottage and tries to squeeze an answer out of Will. Unbeknownst to the young apprentice, his mentor is standing just outside his bedroom door, listening in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ik, Ik! I'm sorry my first chapter was so short! (;_;) Here's the next one. Sorry if there are any typos!

The next morning, Will began vomiting.

It was around dawn, and Halt woke immediately to the sound of someone stumbling outside. It wasn't Gilan, the person came from inside the cabin itself. _Why didn't I_ _hear them come in?_ wondered Halt as he snatched his bow and rolled out of bed in a smooth, fluid motion. Arrow drawn he dashed into the doorway to find a familiar, small, almost-feminine figure kneeling just outside, wretching into the grass.

"Will?" Halt asked as he threw down his bow, and dropped down next to his apprentice. "Will, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Halt cursed himself as soon as he heard the last question leave his mouth. _Was he okay? The poor boy was_ _doubled_ _over and vomiting. Of course he wasn't_ _okay!_

After Will finished throwing up and wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his nightshirt, he turned his pale, sickly-looking face to his mentor's. "Halt? he asked, voice barely a ghost of a whisper.

A sad pang hit Halt in the stomach like a punch to the gut. He felt a nearly irresistible urge to hold Will, cradle his head in his hands, and then shake him dead until he spat out what was wrong, why he was acting this way. However, Halt did none of these things, and instead settled on putting his arms around his apprentice's small, quivering frame, just so that they were barely touching. As soon as this contact was made, Will shakily jumped away from his mentor, arms wrapped around his tiny body.

Hurt registered in Halt's heart as he felt Will's trembling figure wrench itself away from him, but he didn't let it show. The look in the young boy's eyes was one of pure terror. He was afraid. Then the moment passed, Will took a deep breath and spoke with deceptive calmness.

"Oh...sorry, Halt," he mumbled, voice becoming stronger. "Did I wake you?"

Halt raised an eyebrow. "No, it was the chirping of the birds," he replied sarcastically.

"Sorry," the boy apologized again. "Sorry."

"Will, are you sick?" asked Halt. He brought a hand to his forehead, and the boy once again moved away, but not quite as jerkily this time. Halt, in return, repeated the same action he performed earlier by raising a single eyebrow at his apprentice's queer behavior before adding, "You feel like you have a fever."

"It's nothing," Will said, avoiding Halt's eyes.

"Will..." the old ranger began. "I can tell when people lie to me. _Especially_ you."

"It's really nothing. It's probably just a stomach bug," Will repeated.

"Should I call for a doctor?" asked Halt.

"NO!" Will said back, much too quickly and much too desperately. "I mean...no thank you."

Halt sighed and said, "Go back inside and lie down. I've no use for a sick apprentice, and I certainly don't want to catch whatever you have." He herded the boy into his own room, and just as he did this, he recognized the sound of a ranger horse trotting its way down to the cabin.

 _Ah, Gilan's here,_ he thought. He stepped outside once more, tactfully avoiding the puke Will had left on the grass. He explained the situation to his former apprentice once he slowed to stop and jumped down off Blaze, his horse.

"So he is sick," said Gilan upon hearing this, striding into the cabin.

"He wasn't yesterday," grumbled Halt.

"Hey, Will," Gilan murmured softly, as if not to spook the poor boy as he entered his room. Then he winked at Halt, who shut the door and pretended to walk away, then silently doubled back so he was standing just outside the room.

"Hello, Gilan," Will coughed nervously. The poor kid was bedridden, pillows plumped up behind his head so that he was in a half-sitting position. His complexion was pale, and there were bags under his eyes. "What brings you here?"

"I heard my favorite apprentice ranger was sick," the young man replied with his usual smile. It was forced, but Will didn't seem to notice.

"My stomach just hurts," Will said, smiling weakly. He was subconsioucly scooting away from where Gilan was seated at the edge of the bed. Gilan noticed this and sighed.

"Will...why are you afraid of me?"

This question, blunt and seemingly untactful as it was, shocked the boy into silence. Eventually, he managed to get out, "You're imagining things, Gilan. I'm n-not afraid of you."

Gilan looked deep into the boy's eyes and said, "Yes, you are. Don't lie to me, Will, please. I also know you're afraid of Horace, Baron Arald...everyone who happens to be male...even Halt."

"How did you--"

"How I know doesn't really matter," Gilan sad gently, voice void of all humor at this point. "But what I really want to know is _why?_ "

Will bit his lip and looked down at his hands, which were folded into an almost prayer-like position.

"Please, Will. You know I would never hurt you, right? Neither would your friends. Neither would Halt. Why are you afraid of us? Does it have something to do with the fact you're sick?"

Will visibly flinched.

"Ah, so it does," said Gilan. Then, in a coaxing tone, he said, "Please, Will. If you're going to be afraid of us, you owe it to us to tell us the reason."

Will continued to chew on his lip and wring his hands, but finally he gave in. "Please don't tell anybody else...not even Halt. Especially not Halt," he whispered. Meanwhile, the said mentor's breath hitched at the _please don't tell Halt_ bit. Did his own apprentice really not trust him?

Gilan felt guilt blossom in his heart, knowing full well that Halt was listening in on this conversation. He felt as if he was betraying the boy's trust. But if he didn't inform Halt of what was wrong with his apprentice, he'd be betraying the trust of his former mentor.

"I won't tell him," Gilan promised, not letting the guilt he felt surface.

"Okay," replied Will.


	3. The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will finally tells Gilan why he's been acting so strange lately. Everyone, including Halt, is shocked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta-da! Chapter 3! All I can say is wow--I've been cranking out chapters like some sort of machine. I published all 3 of these updates on the same night! Yeah, yeah, I know they're short. But normally it takes me weeks before I update a story. Anyways, how is it so far? Am I not making Halt gruff enough? I feel like I might be making him a little too openly caring, and Gilan too serious. Criticism helps, so please let me know what you think!

Halt's thoughts were racing. Why was his own apprentice so reluctant to confide in him, and to Gilan instead? He shook his head, and focused on listening to Gilan and Will's conversation.

"It has to do with what happened in Skandia," Will began to explain. "Before I go any further, I just want you to know that not all Skandians are like the one I'm about to describe. Erak and all the others are nothing like him, so _please_ don't get angry at the Skandians. I don't want to do anything that would ruin the alliance.

"As you know, Evalyn and I--mean Princess Cassandra and I--were being kept as slaves while we were prisoners. What happened is something only she knows, and swore never to tell anyone else, not even her father. Anyways, at one point during our stay, she and I were transferred to a particularly rich Skanidan's household. She was a house worker, and I worked outside. It wasn't such a bad life, as far as being a slave went.

"However, those peacefuld days were not to last forever. One night, Eva--Princess Cassandra and I snuck out to meet each other and plot our escape, but we were caught. As a result, the rich Skandian we were enslaved to was going to 'punish' the princess as a demonstration to all the slaves never to scheme against him. He was going to...he was going to rape her."

Gilan's lips parted in a small "o" when Will spoke that last sentence. Halt waited, with baited breath, for Will to go on.

"I was terrified...petrified with fear...and I'm so ashamed of how afraid I was at the time. Still, I managed, to shove Princess Cassandra away from that man and stand inbetween them.

'Ah, I see,' he said. 'Someone's got a bit of spark in 'em. I like that. You know what, I think I'll spare the girl.'

"I was so relieved when he said that I thought I might cry. But there was a catch. Deep down, I knew there was a catch, so I don't know why I was so surprised when he said that I'd take her place," Will spat bitterly, shivering and hugging himself. "He raped me day after day after day...I don't know how long it went on, but I became his permenant sex toy." He shuddered once more. "Now, whenever I see another boy or man, no matter who it is, whether it's you or Halt or Horace...I freeze up in fear. All I can feel is that man's hands roaming all over me, hitting me, violating me...and all I can see is his eyes, so cold and flat yet amused boring right into mine. Gilan, I lost my virginity. He _raped_ me."

Outside the room, Halt could feel himself shaking with rage. How could someone do that to Will, _his_ apprentice? _His_ Will! He forced himself to calm down and continue listening to Will's tale.

"Then, one day, he came into the room where I was chained--yes, I spent my days chained to his bedpost--with a clear vial filled with a milky-pink liquid. He said:

'I can see the curiosity _burning_ in your eyes, my little slave. Want to know what this is?' He wiggled the vial suggestively. 'It's a special little concoction I had brewed up. Want to know what it does?'"

It was then Will suddenly broke down, sobbing unable to continue. "Gilan, I'm going to have to stop being a ranger," he whispered sadly.

"Why?" Gilan asked, with some urgency. "Why, Will?"

"This sickness...you're right, I lied. It isn't just a stomach bug. That Skandian--I never knew his name--shoved the liquid down my throat. I remember it being vile-tasting...absolutely disgusting. It was a new drug someone created, and I was the first and only test subject. It...it...it..."

"Oh heavens above, is it poison, Will?" Gilan cried.

"No," the young boy whispered back, shaking his head sadly. "It's worse. That drug, when drunk, can make a male human being pregnant."

"WHAT?" exclaimed Gilan. "Th-that's impossible!"

"It's not," murmured Will, rubbing his stomach. "At first, after we got back from Skandia, I assumed the drug didn't work, or the warmweed I ingested after the princess I were transferred back out of that Skandian's home killed the baby off, but all it did was delay the effects of pregnancy. Killing the baby while it's inside of me would risk my health, according to that Skandian, and once the effects of pregnancy occur, the time before I give birth won't be long. My stomach will have to be cut open so the baby can come out, because otherwise, it woud try to eject itself from my body naturally and as I'm sure you can imagine, that wouldn't be easy." Will chuckled, but there was no joy in it. "Gilan, the symptoms have started. Fatigue, weakness...I've been feeling like that for the past few weeks since we got back. Then the vomiting and the sickness. I'm pregnant. I'm pre-preg--" He broke down sobbing again.

"Oh, Will," Gilan murmured sadly. The boy looked so broken. He was just a kid...and now he was going to have a kid, after being raped repeatedly by some barbarian from a foreign land.

 _I'll kill him,_ thought Halt. _I'll find that Skandian and kill him. Slowly, painfully._ Eventually, the shock of Will being pregnant sunk in. Halt felt so sorry for the boy. He felt so guilty that under his watch, Will had been kidnapped and taken to Skandia, and then raped because his mentor couldn't even be there to protect him.

"Why didn't you want Halt to know about any of this?" Halt heard Gilan ask softly.

"Because...he'd been ashamed. Ashamed that I let myself be raped. Ashamed that I couldn't protect Eva--I mean Princess Cassandra better. Ashamed that I'm now afraid of every man and boy I come across. Ashamed that I can't be a ranger anymore..." Once more, the boy broke out sobbing.

"Halt would _never, ever_ be ashamed of you for something like that," Gilan said fiercely. He reached out to comfort Will, but thought twice, now hearing his story, and put his hand away.

"But, please, Gilan, you can't tell him about this," Will begged. _"Please."_

Gilan felt his heart break in two as he whispered, "Too late."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun-dun-dun! Oh, I forgot to add mpreg as one of my tags, so I'm telling ya'll now. Kinda too late, though...oops!


	4. Everything will be OK

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halt and Will have a little chat about Will's current...situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, uh, yeah. Chapter 4. I got it done, finally! I'd like to thank JRanger_Raven for leaving the first comment I've ever gotten on this fanfic. In honor of them, I post this next chapter. I hope you like it! (Sorry I haven't gotten into the Horace/Will part yet, but don't worry. I will, soon enough...hehehehehe) (^//^)

“What do you mean, too late?” Will asked, confused by Gilan’s remark. There was a beat of silence, and Halt took this as his cue to enter the room. As he did, Will’s eyes went wide with disbelief. “H-Halt!?” he spluttered, quickly piecing together the situation. “Did you—”

“Yes.”

“Gilan, were you in on this?” Will exclaimed, eyes tearing up for the zillionth time of the day.

Gilan nodded silently, not trusting himself to speak.

“Will…” said Halt. “What happened in Skandia…it wasn’t your fault. If anything, you were the victim.”

Gilan winced at his former mentor’s choice of words. Calling Will a ‘victim’ made it sound as if he was calling the boy weak, which, of course, was not true. Though, looking at him now, Gilan had to admit the young apprentice was not in his prime.

“You-you weren’t supposed to find out,” he sobbed, shaking and shivering, hugging a pillow all the while. “You weren’t supposed to—”

“Shh,” Halt said tenderly. “It’s okay.” He put a hand on Will’s shoulder to comfort him, but the boy shouted, “Don’t touch me!” and he quickly recoiled.

“S-sorry…it was reflex…I didn’t mean to…” Will whispered, realizing what he just said.

“I understand,” said Halt. “Is that why you didn’t want to see a doctor?” He inclined his head towards Will’s stomach, which, now that he was paying closer attention to it, appeared to be slightly more bloated than usual. The apprentice silently nodded.

“Halt…I’m sorry…I can’t be a ranger anymore,” said Will, squeezing the pillow tighter.

Halt felt an uncharacteristic lump in his throat hearing those words. “That’s the least of my worries,” he grumbled. “I’m your mentor. No matter what, it’s my duty to take care of you, and your…child.” He managed to choke out the last word. As calm and controlled as his exterior seemed, in actuality, his mind was still roiling at the fact that his Will was pregnant. Wait…back up a minute _his_ Will? He meant his apprentice…it’s not like Will was his possession or anything...or so Halt tried to convince himself.

                “Halt…” whimpered Will, voice trembling with emotion. “Thank you.”

                “Yeah, yeah,” the older man grumbled abashedly. “Hey, Gilan, what in Gorlan do you do with a pregnant person, anyway?”

                Gilan raised his hands in a defensive manner, screaming, _hey, don’t look at me. I’ve never gotten someone pregnant_.

                “Useless,” Halt muttered. “Shoo! Go back to your fief!”

                “I want to help Will!” the former apprentice protested, but a glare from his previous mentor was enough to send him flying.

                “I’m sorry,” Halt apologized once the two of them were alone.

                Will looked up from his lap, which he’d been staring at determinedly for the past few minutes. An expression of surprise coated his facial features. “What for, Halt?”

                “…”

                For a moment, Will feared that he would not respond.

                “I wasn’t able to save you before you were sent off to Skandia.”

                Will gasped. “Halt, that wasn’t your fault! I was careless! I got Evelyn and myself caught, and myself…raped. If anything, you should be angry at me for—”

                “Will. Get it through your thick apprentice skull. What happened to you was. Not. Your. Fault. I promise you that after you’ve given birth, we will find that Skandian who did this to you and we will kill him,” Halt promised angrily. “I’ll do it myself. With my own two hands.”

                Will’s eyes widened his words. “Halt, you don’t have to—”

                “You’re right. I don’t. But you do.”

                “Thank you, Halt.” The small boy’s tones were hushed. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” He began to cry again. “Thank you, Halt. Thank you. Thank you.” His tiny shoulders shook.

                Halt suddenly felt the absolutely unreasonable urge to grab those slight, shaking shoulders and scoop the poor boy up into his arms, until he stopped crying, until there was one of those big, happy smiles on his face. Ever since Will returned from Skandia, a genuine smile never surfaced. His curiosity had been nipped in the bud. He rarely talked to Halt, or any of his male friends, for that matter, preferring to squeak, whimper, or whisper instead. Most of the time, he just avoided them altogether.

                “Will, I’m going to touch you now, okay?” Halt warned him, reaching a hand out. He extended his arm slowly, so that if the boy felt the need to get away, he could easily do so.

                Will whimpered at first, but, strong kid that he was, he took a deep breath, squeezed his eyes shut, tears slowing to a stop, and hunched in on himself a bit, hugging the pillow so hard you’d think that if it was a person, he was trying to break their ribs. A shiver of fear ran through his body as Halt’s fingertips brushed his right shoulder. Halt noticed this and stopped all movement. Couldn’t have his apprentice hyperventilating, after all. Once he seemed to simmer down, Halt began to rubs calming little circles into his shoulder.

                “We’re going to get through this,” he assured Will. Abruptly, he stood up and took his hand away. “I’m going to make some food. You wait here.” He stalked off, murmuring, “What in Gallica do you do with a boy who’s pregnant?” under his breath, leaving Will alone in bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, comments, critique, and kudos are all welcome! Plot suggestions, too. Thanks for sparing some time to read this!

**Author's Note:**

> SOOOOoooooooOOOOOooooo? How was it? Comments always help! Thank you for taking the time to read this...(>///


End file.
